So what would you like to hear about?
Perhaps I'll start with my back going "out". Saturday morning I was at my parents and my lower back just started hurting - instantly - bad. So bad that I couldn't walk. I could only crawl about the floor - or have Rebekah drag me here and there on her back. I slept on it and Sunday it was a little better - enough for me to stumble into the Kingdom Hall - and amble about. Monday it was an even better and now Tuesday it is the same. I can walk - with a wee bit of discomfort. Strange. As I was crawling about the floor like an animal I imagined that I was stricken in order to teach me some humility - Nebuchadnezzar style.
It was a good week for music. 50FOOTWAVE released an Internet 5-song release called "Free Music" for er, free. I liked it better than their past two releases. Mainly because they seem to have tapered back on the heaviness - just a bit to let melody and vocals come through. It's not Throwing Muses but not bad.
Also I finally got a hold of Akai: Point-Five EP. Loved it and love it. Thanks Hiromi and friends! You make me want to start recording again ... if only.
Not too recently I picked up Hayley Westenra's album Odyssey. It reminds me of the kind of music they play on "Movie Tunes" when you are at the theatre waiting for the film to start. I guess it fills the niche classical vocal section of my CD shelf. A little opera never hurt anybody I s'pose.
As far as study I'm really into the Septuagint at the moment. It seems there is a real interest lately in translating it into English. There are now three fresh English translations that I know of that are in the works. The last English translation before this was done sometime in the 1800's! Up until recently it seemed like the Septuagint was really only used by academics and the Greek Orthodox Church. I'm not going argue the merits of the Septuagint over the Masoretic text; however, we shouldn't discount the value if Septuagint. After all, it was the version of the Bible used by the Apostles and early Christian Congregations.
I discovered the New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS) the other day. I was happy to find that they had side-by-side translations of both the original Old Greek version and the Theodotionic revision of the book of Daniel. For some reason, typically presumed to be because of the poor quality of translation, the Old Greek version was phased out of use in the Christian Churches during the 4th century and replaced by the Theodotion Greek version, a newer translation. As such this was my first time getting to look at the Old Greek rendition.
Just briefly looking over it there appears to be some interesting differences. The Old Greek version has Nebuchadnezzar's Statue dream in his 12th year instead of his 2nd. If there were true it would remedy some difficulties within the chronology of the book of Daniel. The 1st chapter of the book of Daniel has him captured by Nebuchadnezzar and undergoing a 3 year training program and then afterward being brought before the king. (Daniel 1:5,18). But chapter 2 appears to have Daniel providing an interpretation to the King's dream in his 2nd year.
As it stands this apparent discrepancy can be easily explained away using things like ascension/regnal years and father/son co-rulerships. However it would not be surprisingly if the Septuagint contained a more accurate representation of the actual chronlogy because in other accounts it tends to correct discrepencies that appear in the Masoretic text.
One example is in 1 Kings 16 wherein there is a discrepency between the years that Omri and Ahab ruled over Israel in relation to Asa's reign over Judah. In the Masoretic text Omri is said to have ruled 12 years starting during Asa's 31st year. (1 Kings 16:23). Omri's son Ahab is said to succeed him in rulership during Asa's 38 year. (1 Kings 16:28,29) So in one verse Omri's reign is said to be 12 years however the corresponding rule of Asa provided leaves only 7 years. In the Septuagint version there are additional verses that the Masoretic text omit that clear up the matter showing how in the eleventh year of Omri rule of Israel that Josaphat succeeded Asa as ruler of Judah. Then in the 2nd year of Josaphat of Ahab succeeded Omri. Hence the Greek Septuagint records the correct chronology whereas the Hebrew Masoretic is in shown to be in error.
Another interesting variance between the Septuagint and the Masoretic is in Daniel's "70 Weeks" Prophecy. In the Masoretic at Daniel 9:25 it says that Jerusalem will be rebuilt "with a public square and a moat". The Septuagint speaks of the rebuilding with a "square and the wall". It would certainly seem more reasonable for the prophecy to concern the walls of Jerusalem since they were a prominent feature that get mentioned time and time again in the scriptures. (Apart from the book of Daniel I can't see any other mention of a moat in Jerusalem.) Additionally this would lend weight to the suggestion that the 70 prophetic weeks started with Artaxerxes' royal decree that walls of Jerusalem be rebuilt. (Nehemiah chap 1-7)
I've got an English translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls on order. It will be interesting to see how the DSS Daniel matches up to the Septuagint and the Masoretic in these areas. Historically, and quite surprising to scholars, the dead sea scrolls more closely matched the Greek Septuagint than the Hebrew Masoretic texts.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Good Gifts
A couple of months ago I purchased Heaven: A History by Colleen McDannell. It traces human conceptions of the after life from the early Jewish views to that of the early Christians and then progresses through the years down to the modern era. I purchased it as a reference because I've been really interested in how the early (1st, 2nd century) Christians viewed the resurrection. Of particular note is the oral tradition of the apostles and those who walked with Christ that Papias references - that there are different abodes (mansions) for those resurrected to life, some to heaven, and some to earth.
If you ask someone their feelings about the resurrection you are quite likely to get multiple viewpoints. For members of Christendom that believe that all go to heaven you may get different ideas about what they will be doing there. Some envision themselves sitting on clouds, playing harps. Others picture themselves golfing or fishing - doing the things they love to do now on Earth.
For those who believe in a resurrection to life on Earth there also various ideas. Some may picture life as it existed in the 1800's - driving around in carriages and making your own butter. Some picture a world of high technology with individuals zipping around in non-polluting hover cars. And there are others numerous, varying ideas: clothed or naked? meat or veg? changing seasons or temperate?
I was reading this scripture the other day and the beauty of the thoughts struck me:
"But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9
Certainly we can imagine the splendors of heaven or envision the joys of the new Earth - however the actual beauty of such is incomprehensible to mankind. Take your best picture of the afterlife multiply it by a thousand and you are still nowhere close to the reality of it. It will be THAT good. What a loving Father we have!
Today, due to sin and imperfection of the world and ourselves we certainly go through a lot pain and suffering. Our Father recognizes this. He is ready to make recompense and he gives back like no one else give back. This is seen in the account of Job. Job, a faithful man, suffered to the extreme and lost everything because of circumstances beyond his control. His loss was his 7 sons and 3 daughters, along with 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 spans of cattle, and 500 she-asses.
After Job's trial was over Jehovah compensated Job double for what he lost. We read at Job 42:12 "As for Jehovah, he blessed the end of Job afterward more than his beginning, so that he came to have fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels and a thousand spans of cattle and a thousand she-asses."
We often state that Jehovah will give us back everything that our first parent Adam lost. I believe that. However as seen in the account of Job it would not be unreasonable to believe that God will give us back even more than what was enjoyed by Adam and Eve in that splendid Garden of Eden - all the joys of paradise and then some!
It is interesting that while Jehovah provided double the livestock He only gave back the original the original number of sons and daughters. Job 42:13 continues, "He also came to have seven sons and three daughters." We ask: Why only 10 more children instead of 20? Well this scripture implies that he would receive his other sons and daughters back in the resurrection. On the last day when he is resurrected he will be joined by all 20 of his children!
So through the scriptures we can be assured that even when death takes our family and loved ones that we have the hope of seeing them again.
Job was a righteous man and as such became a target from the Adversary and Slanderer. He did not deserve what befell him. However Jehovah's loving kindness is shown in how even when bad people are reaping what they sow that he is willing to compensate them if they turn around and repent of their sins. This is a common theme of the Hebrew prophets.
At Joel 1:4 a great famine is prophesied against God's wayward people, "What was left by the caterpillar, the locust has eaten; and what was left by the locust, the creeping, unwinged locust has eaten; and what the creeping, unwinged locust has left, the cockroach has eaten." In addition to the famine in Joel 2:1-11 a great, powerful military force is foretold to come up against his name people.
Jehovah implores the people, “come back to me with all YOUR hearts, and with fasting and with weeping and with wailing. And rip apart YOUR hearts, and not YOUR garments; and come back to Jehovah YOUR God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, and he will certainly feel regret on account of the calamity" - Joel 2:12,13
If the people do this what is the result? Jehovah says " And I will make compensation to YOU for the years that the locust, the creeping, unwinged locust, and the cockroach and the caterpillar have eaten, my great military force that I have sent among YOU. And YOU will certainly eat, eating and becoming satisfied, and YOU will be bound to praise the name of Jehovah YOUR God, who has done with YOU so wonderfully; and my people will not be ashamed to time indefinite." - Joel 2:25,26.
Our Heavenly Father is merciful! Even when we do not deserve it if we turn around and make an effort to make our way straight He will pour out his blessing upon us. Why? He does this because He is a loving Father and willing to give good gifts to His Children. He is that loving Father keeping watch for the return of his wayward son.
I love how Jesus expresses it:
“Keep on asking, and it will be given YOU; keep on seeking, and YOU will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to YOU. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened. Indeed, who is the man among YOU whom his son asks for bread—he will not hand him a stone, will he? Or, perhaps, he will ask for a fish—he will not hand him a serpent, will he? Therefore, if YOU, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to YOUR children, how much more so will YOUR Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him?" - Matthew 7:7-11
While we await future blessings we even get good things today. In particular how wonderful it is to have God's complete written Word available to us! We also have the Holy Spirit, the "helper" that Jesus promised to request that his Father send to his disciples. When we make use of these wonderful gifts we can draw close to our Father. The spirit is powerful and can open our hearts to the scriptures. In fact scriptures that we have read one hundred times or more suddenly pop off the page and illuminate our minds and make our hearts leap for joy!
We cannot comprehend the depths of our Father's love for us nor can we fully appreciate all the wonderful things he has in store for us nor can we completely recognize what good things he provides for us each and every day! But we need to keep seeking to get to know Him better to get an even better glimpse into Him.
And while there is a lot of misery that we have to go through we need to keep the future promises in our hearts. Speaking of the heavenly resurrection, Hebrews 6:19 expresses it nicely "This [hope] we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm” We need to continue to hang onto Jehovah and our Lord Jesus because in due to time we will fully get to know all of what awaits us on heaven or earth - even being able to "reside" with God forever!
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:1-4
Praise Jah!
--
Note: My blog has been down for awhile. I've been super busy with life and work. Then when I finally got time to post again I guess I forgot my password. But things are better now. So sorry for the absence.
-anthony
If you ask someone their feelings about the resurrection you are quite likely to get multiple viewpoints. For members of Christendom that believe that all go to heaven you may get different ideas about what they will be doing there. Some envision themselves sitting on clouds, playing harps. Others picture themselves golfing or fishing - doing the things they love to do now on Earth.
For those who believe in a resurrection to life on Earth there also various ideas. Some may picture life as it existed in the 1800's - driving around in carriages and making your own butter. Some picture a world of high technology with individuals zipping around in non-polluting hover cars. And there are others numerous, varying ideas: clothed or naked? meat or veg? changing seasons or temperate?
I was reading this scripture the other day and the beauty of the thoughts struck me:
"But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9
Certainly we can imagine the splendors of heaven or envision the joys of the new Earth - however the actual beauty of such is incomprehensible to mankind. Take your best picture of the afterlife multiply it by a thousand and you are still nowhere close to the reality of it. It will be THAT good. What a loving Father we have!
Today, due to sin and imperfection of the world and ourselves we certainly go through a lot pain and suffering. Our Father recognizes this. He is ready to make recompense and he gives back like no one else give back. This is seen in the account of Job. Job, a faithful man, suffered to the extreme and lost everything because of circumstances beyond his control. His loss was his 7 sons and 3 daughters, along with 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 spans of cattle, and 500 she-asses.
After Job's trial was over Jehovah compensated Job double for what he lost. We read at Job 42:12 "As for Jehovah, he blessed the end of Job afterward more than his beginning, so that he came to have fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels and a thousand spans of cattle and a thousand she-asses."
We often state that Jehovah will give us back everything that our first parent Adam lost. I believe that. However as seen in the account of Job it would not be unreasonable to believe that God will give us back even more than what was enjoyed by Adam and Eve in that splendid Garden of Eden - all the joys of paradise and then some!
It is interesting that while Jehovah provided double the livestock He only gave back the original the original number of sons and daughters. Job 42:13 continues, "He also came to have seven sons and three daughters." We ask: Why only 10 more children instead of 20? Well this scripture implies that he would receive his other sons and daughters back in the resurrection. On the last day when he is resurrected he will be joined by all 20 of his children!
So through the scriptures we can be assured that even when death takes our family and loved ones that we have the hope of seeing them again.
Job was a righteous man and as such became a target from the Adversary and Slanderer. He did not deserve what befell him. However Jehovah's loving kindness is shown in how even when bad people are reaping what they sow that he is willing to compensate them if they turn around and repent of their sins. This is a common theme of the Hebrew prophets.
At Joel 1:4 a great famine is prophesied against God's wayward people, "What was left by the caterpillar, the locust has eaten; and what was left by the locust, the creeping, unwinged locust has eaten; and what the creeping, unwinged locust has left, the cockroach has eaten." In addition to the famine in Joel 2:1-11 a great, powerful military force is foretold to come up against his name people.
Jehovah implores the people, “come back to me with all YOUR hearts, and with fasting and with weeping and with wailing. And rip apart YOUR hearts, and not YOUR garments; and come back to Jehovah YOUR God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, and he will certainly feel regret on account of the calamity" - Joel 2:12,13
If the people do this what is the result? Jehovah says " And I will make compensation to YOU for the years that the locust, the creeping, unwinged locust, and the cockroach and the caterpillar have eaten, my great military force that I have sent among YOU. And YOU will certainly eat, eating and becoming satisfied, and YOU will be bound to praise the name of Jehovah YOUR God, who has done with YOU so wonderfully; and my people will not be ashamed to time indefinite." - Joel 2:25,26.
Our Heavenly Father is merciful! Even when we do not deserve it if we turn around and make an effort to make our way straight He will pour out his blessing upon us. Why? He does this because He is a loving Father and willing to give good gifts to His Children. He is that loving Father keeping watch for the return of his wayward son.
I love how Jesus expresses it:
“Keep on asking, and it will be given YOU; keep on seeking, and YOU will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to YOU. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened. Indeed, who is the man among YOU whom his son asks for bread—he will not hand him a stone, will he? Or, perhaps, he will ask for a fish—he will not hand him a serpent, will he? Therefore, if YOU, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to YOUR children, how much more so will YOUR Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him?" - Matthew 7:7-11
While we await future blessings we even get good things today. In particular how wonderful it is to have God's complete written Word available to us! We also have the Holy Spirit, the "helper" that Jesus promised to request that his Father send to his disciples. When we make use of these wonderful gifts we can draw close to our Father. The spirit is powerful and can open our hearts to the scriptures. In fact scriptures that we have read one hundred times or more suddenly pop off the page and illuminate our minds and make our hearts leap for joy!
We cannot comprehend the depths of our Father's love for us nor can we fully appreciate all the wonderful things he has in store for us nor can we completely recognize what good things he provides for us each and every day! But we need to keep seeking to get to know Him better to get an even better glimpse into Him.
And while there is a lot of misery that we have to go through we need to keep the future promises in our hearts. Speaking of the heavenly resurrection, Hebrews 6:19 expresses it nicely "This [hope] we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm” We need to continue to hang onto Jehovah and our Lord Jesus because in due to time we will fully get to know all of what awaits us on heaven or earth - even being able to "reside" with God forever!
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:1-4
Praise Jah!
--
Note: My blog has been down for awhile. I've been super busy with life and work. Then when I finally got time to post again I guess I forgot my password. But things are better now. So sorry for the absence.
-anthony
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